Register selecting mechanism



June 17, 1947- M. DEMEULENAERE REGISTER SELECTING MECHANISM Filed July31, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l 7m V 2 w fdwva June 17, 1947. M, DEMEULENAERE2,422,186

REGISTER SELECTING MECHANISM Filed July 31, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented June 17, 1947 REGISTER SELECTING MECHANISM Marcel Demeulenaere,Brussels, Belgium; vested in the Attorney General of the United StatesApplication July 31, 1939, Serial No. 287,630 In Belgium August 10, 193824 Claims.

The present invention relates to computing mechanism for cash registersand the like, and has particular reference to mechanism of the kinddisclosed in my prior Patent Number 2,282,120, dated May 5, 1942, inwhich an operating member for controlling a plurality of totalisersextends through successive groups of annular discs or wheels forming saitotalisers. In the mechanism described by way of example in my abovementioned patent, selection of the individual totalisers which are totake part in an entry of an item is effected by an axial movement of theoperating member in one direction and the subsequent operationsnecessary to perform the entry are carried out while the operatin memberis moved in reverse direction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism thatwill be simpler and more convenient in operation, and in which the partswill move more smoothly than in my prior mechanism.

A further object is to provide a mechanism in which retractable drivingprojections are so arranged on the operating member that the operationsfor selecting the individual totalisers and the operations forregistering the amounts by means of the operative totalisers arecontrolled by a succession of axial movements of the operating member inthe same direction, said axial movements alternating with rotationalmovements of the said member.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a mechanism havingtwo difierent kinds of individual totalisers, some of them associatedwith fixed selectors and others with angularly movable selectors,permitting the simultaneous selection of two or more individualtotalisers by means of a single rotation of the operating member.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsillustrating by way of example an embodiment of my said invention.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 1a taken together present a longitudinal sectional view ofthe totalisers and indicator of a cash register machine.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on a larger scale of an individualtotaliser with the operating member extending therethrough.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on line III-III of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, showingthe operating member in a diflerent position.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View on line VI-VI of Fig. 2, showing theco-operation of an individual totaliser with its operation counter.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view on line VII-VII of Fig. 8, illustratingthe selector for a goods totaliser.

Fig. 8 is an end view, partly in section on line VIII-VIII of Fig. '7,of the same selector.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal Sectional view of the indicator and themultiple item totaliser of the machine.

The mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises from left to right: ageneral totaliser G, two individual totalisers A and B, each having itsoperation counter A and B respectively, two further individualtotalisers C and D having each its operation counter C and Drespectively, then an operation counter S, a multiple item totaliser Tand an indicator I. This arrangement is intended to permit, forinstance, of registering separately the operations of two salesmen onthe individual totalisers A and B hereinafter called personal totalisersand of recording the number of operations on the respective counters Aand B, and further, of separately registering the operations respectingtwo kinds of goods on the individual totalisers C and D hereinaftercalled goods totalisers and of recording the corresponding numbers ofoperations on the respective counters C Simultaneously therewith thegeneral and D. totaliser G totalises all the operations effected duringa predetermined period, say one day, and the general counter S recordsthe total number of said operations. By the indicator I the amount ofeach operation is made visible and the multiple item totaliser T adds,if desired, the total amounts of a plurality of successive operations.

The several totalisers and counters and the indicator comprise each agroup of annular discs [9 arranged side by side, said discs having eachten peripheral teeth bearing the figures 0 to 9 or conventional signs aswill be explained later. Fixed spacing members ll, HA etc. carried bythe general support 6| separate adjacent groups of discs from eachother.

All the individual totalisers being of like construction, I shalldescribe in detail only one of them, i. e. the personal totaliser Aillustrated in Figs. 2 to 5. As shown in Fig. 2, the totaliser comprisesfrom right to left five annular discs l0 having each on its innerperiphery ten teeth to enable operation of said discs from the insideand a sixth disc lfi without inner teeth. The six discs formingtotaliser A are capable of totalising amounts up to 999999. On the leftof disc I0 \d is a disc Illa which ha inner teeth that are longer thanthose on the discs [3 and outer teeth bearing no figure, but aconventional sign designating the particular totaliser, for example, theSign A in the present instance. On the left of disc iE-a are threefurther discs it) without inner teeth, said discs 13 having outer teethbearing the figures to 9. These three discs l0 form together the counterA for counting the number of operations effected by totaliser A.

A rotary shaft i2 extends through the central apertures in the discs ofall the totalisers and through the spacing members I i. The said discs,however, are not carried by the shaft [2 as they are supported on andcentered by carrying rollers i .3, M, l5, which are respectively carriedby shafts i 8, I9, 23 extending parallel to the shaft 12. Each disc H1thus is supported coaxially to the shaft l2, but without contactingsame. The rollers 13, i4, i engage in annular grooves formed between theouter teeth of the discs and rings 2| secured to the discs.

On the shaft 23 the rollers l5 alternate with pawls 24, pressed eachagainst one of the totaliser discs by a spring 23 (Fig. 3). When theyengage between two adjacent teeth on each disc, the pawls 24 hold allthe discs in a predetermined angular position, so that the outer teethof the discs, their inner teeth, and the intervals between teeth areeach, respectively, in alignment.

The shaft i2 has a longitudinal groove l8 (Fig. 3) in which a springcontrolled bar l! is slidably arranged. In Fig. 1a., the spring is shownat 25 and tends to move the bar towards the right. Opposite eachindividual totaliser, the bar IT has an axial recess 26 which extendsentirely through the bar. In each recess 26 is pivoted on a crosspin 2'!a small lever 28 having at each end an upwardly directed projection, i.e. a driving projection 3t and a heel piece 29. The lever 28 iscontrolled by a spring 3i which tends to lift the heel piece 29. In thisposition (Fig. 2) the driving projection 33 projects above the upperedge of the bar i? only very slightly, that is, not sufficiently toengage the inner teeth of the discs [0, but enough to engage the longerinner teeth of disc Ida.

The selection of the desired personal totaliser is controlled by meansof th fixed members I! which serve as selectors, there being in theexample illustrated in Fig. 1 a selector H on the right hand side of andcorresponding to each personal totaliser. The selectors for the goodstotalisers are of different construction.

A selector for a personal totaliser, for example Selector i lA fortotaliser A (Figs. 2 and 5), comprises a ring coaxial with shaft 12, andof larger diameter than said shaft so that an annular chamber 32 is leftbetween the ring and the shaft. Into said chamber projects a boss 33 onthe inner surface of the selector, which boss has smoothly inclinedsides in the peripheral direction. When th axial and angular position ofbar I"! (which rotates together with shaft [2) is such that the heel 23comes opposite a boss 33, the heel is depressed against the action ofits spring 3| and the projection 33 at the other end of the lever israised well above the top edge of bar I! as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Inthis position of the lever 23, its projection 33 can engage with theinner teeth on the discs I3 of the totaliser considered which thus isselected.

In the several personal totalisers the boss 33 of each selector H isoffset by one tenth of a revolution with respect to the boss 33 of thepreceding selector. Thus in Fig. 5, the boss 33 of selector HA is at anangle to the vertical plane passing through the totaliser discscorresponding to one tenth of a revolution. The boss (not shown) ofselector l IB is at angle to said plane corresponding to two tenths of arevolution, so that the axis of each boss is in line with a differentone of the ten lines of interstices between the inner teeth of thetotaliser discs. It will be understood, therefore, that in order toselect totaliser A or totaliser B, the bar I! has to be moved axiallyuntil the teel 29 of each lever 28 registers with one of the bosses 33,then the shaft 12 has only to be rotated clockwise from the inoperativeposition shown in Fig. 3. If the rotation is through one tenth of arevolution (Fig. 5) totaliser A is selected, as has been explained. Ifthe rotation i through two tenths of a revolution, totaliser B isselected, and thus the mechanism described can operate with as many asten personal totalisers.

After the selection of the desired totalizer, the bar H is againadvanced axially, as hereinafter explained.

Such farther axial travel displaces the lever 28 and its drivingprojection 30 relatively to the selector l IA, and its boss 33,whereupon spring 3i would restore the lever 28 counterclockwise from itsposition shown in Fig. 4, and withdraw the driving projection 30 frombetween the teeth of the selected totalizer wheel IO, were it not forthe following provision.

A locking blade 34 secured to the shaft l2 engages in a groove in theside of bar l1, so that it does not interfere with axial movement ofsaid bar. The lever 23 has a laterally projecting pin 35 and oppositesaid pin is a notch 36 (Figs. 2 and 4) in bar H so that the pin 35 canfreely move within said notch when the lever 28 swings about its pivot21. This movement is possible as the blade 34 is cut away in thevicinity of each notch 36, as shown in Fig. 2 which illustrates the barI? in its extreme left position, and in Fig. 4 which illustrates the barH in its selecting position. When, however, after the selection iseffected, the bar H is again moved to the right in order to drive thediscs H), the pin 35 is locked either above the blade 34 if its lever 28has selected a totaliser, or below the blade 34 if its lever 23 haseliminated a totaliser. The levers 28 thus remain locked during all thetime required for the entry of an item, and they are freed only when atthe end of the operation the bar H is returned to its inoperativeposition, i. e. to the extreme left position shown in Fig. 2.

The counter A adjacent to the personal totaliser A must record a uniteach time said totaliser is selected in order to partake in an entry. Tothis end, use is made of the disc 16a with long inner teeth. Said discIlla (Figs. 2 and 6) has secured thereto a ring Zia which carries a cam38 arranged to cooperate with a finger 39 on a member 40 loosely mountedon the carry-over shaft 4'! which extends parallel to shaft 12. Theangular position of cam 38 is such that when it rotates with shaft [2and disc 19a through one tenth of a revolution during the selectingoperation, cam 38 pushes on finger 39 at the very moment when totaliser,A is selected by the contact of heel 29 with the boss 33 of selectorHA. At this moment a transfer member 42 secured to member 40 and facingthe first disc H) (i. e. the first from right to left in Fig. 2) ofcounter A has rotated with member 49 so that its nose 43 is in apreparatory position and lies in the path of one of the arms 44 fixed ona shaft 45 whose rotation makes the transfers efiective when the entryis completed, as explained in my co-pending patent application SerialNo. 17,119, filed April 18, 1935, now Patent 2,282,120 issued May 5,1942.

Then, under the impulsion received from one of the arms 44, the nose 43is rotated clockwise with member 42 (Fig. 6). The tooth 4| on member 42comes into mesh with the teeth on the first disc 10' of counter A andcauses said disc to rotate through one tenth of a revolution, toregister one unit on the counter.

The item counter actuating member 4il43 and its shaft 41 are withdrawnfrom the counter wheel Illa together with the carrying pawls (not shown)for the several totalizers at the conclusion of the carrying operation,to enable the member 4543 to restore to normal position its spring 46,and the carrying pawls to restore to normal under the tension of similarsprings, as more fully explained in the prior Patent 2,282,120.

In totaliser B, the cam 38 i angularly offset by one tenth of arevolution backwards with respect to cam 38 of totaliser A. Thus intotaliser B the cam 38 sets the member 40-43 to its preparatory positionwhen the operator rotates the shaft l2 through two tenths of arevolution in selecting totaliser B. In that case, the cam 38 oftotaliser A having also rotated through two tenths of a revolution, idlyrock the corresponding finger 39 and then escapes past the finger, whichis returned to its inoperative position together with its. member 40-43by a spring 45. Thus the counter B will record one unit when thepersonal totaliser B has taken part in an entry.

It will be seen that the discs ID of the counters (Figs. 1 and 2) do notrequire inner teeth since they are always driven from the outside bytrans fer members and not from the inside by driving projections such as30.

The goods totalisers C and D are similar to the personal totalisers Aand B, but their respective selectors are different from those describedabove in connection with the personal totalisers. One of the goodsselectors is illustrated in sectional side elevation in Fig. 7 and inend elevation in Fig. 8. In a bore in the fixed member I l situated onthe right side (Fig. 1) of the totaliser considered, is rotatablymounted a ring 48 controlled from the outside by means of a handle 49 orin any other suitable way. Axial movement of ring 48 is prevented by ascrew 59 which engages in a peripheral groove 5| in ring 48.

On its inner periphery the ring 48 has, on a portion only oi its width,ten bosses 52 uniformly distributed over the periphery of said ring andseparated from one another by notches 55. So long as the totaliser inquestion is not selected, the notches 53 are in line with the respectivelines of notches between the inner teeth of the totaliser discs l0. Inorder to operate the selection of a goods totaliser the handle 49 withthe ring 48 is rotated through one twentieth of a revolution so as tobring a boss 52 to a place normally occupied by a notch 53. Then, whenthe shaft I2 is rotated through any required amount of tenths of arevolution in order to select a personal totaliser, the lever 28 of thesaid goods totaliser partakes in this rotation and its heel 29 stepsunder one of the bosses 52 so that the goods totaliser is selected atthe same time as the personal totaliser.

The goods counter C (or D) of the goods totaliser which has beenselected is actuated, like the counters A, B, by a transfer member 54similar to member 42 and, carried by the same shaft 41 (Fig. 8). Howevermember 54 is not brought to its preparatory position by a cam rotatingwith one of the discs, but directly by a bent rod 55 carried by the ring48, the end of said rod 55 pushing the nose 56 of member 54 when thering 48 is rotated by means of the handle 49. This rotation, of onetwentieth of a revolution, is limited in one direction by the rod 55itself which, when the totaliser is not selected contacts against anabutment 51 on the support H. In the other direction, the rotation ofhandle 49 is limited by a bar or stop 58 which is secured to the parts Il, as shown in Fig. 8.

When an amount is registered by one or more individual totalisers A, B,C, D, it is also registered by the general totaliser G. As selection ofthe general totaliser is unnecessary, it it not driven by a collapsibleprojection 30, but is operated by a member or projection 60 (Fig. 1)which is simply fixed on bar l'l. As shown, totaliser G has eight discs!9, five being with inner teeth and three without inner teeth. The lastthree discs which correspond to the highernumerical order (thousand-s,tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands) cannot be driven directlyby the projection 55, but they are capable of being actuated by thetransfer of units from the discs of a lower numerical order. This alsoapplies to the thousands disc (the sixth from the right in Fig. 1) ofeach of the individual totalisers A, B, C, D. The carry-over mechanismbeing composed of parts similar to parts 40-43 need not be described indetail.

The indicator I indicates each item entered, and therefore, it is alsoactuated by a projection Gil (Fig. la) fixed on member l1. As theindicator is zeroized after each operation, it does not call for atransfer and it comprises only five discs iii which are identical withthe first five discs of each totaliser. To the left of the itemindicating numeral discs iii (Fig. 9) are two discs l5 which carryconventional signs designating the particular personal totaliser and thekind of goods totalizcr, respectively, which have been selected. Theoperation of these two discs is identical with that of the discs led andit) of totaliser T now to he described.

The multiple totaliser T is shown on the left of indicator I and itsfunction is to add the amounts of a plurality of successive operationsof which the total is to be printed on a ticket. Like the indicator I,it is unnecessary to provide means to select the totaliser T which isactuated by a driving projection 60 fixed on the bar or member l'i. Itcomprises, from right to left in 9, five ordinary discs It], then a disc10c having only cuter teeth, which disc N0 is narrower in the radialdirection than the other discs. On the left of discs lllc are two discsHid and I07 which differ from the ordinary discs in that their innerteeth are on a ring which is oifset to the right by the thickness of onedisc so that the inner teeth of disc Hid are located within the pi he ofand concentric with disc lilc, whereas the inner teeth of disc lOf arelocated within the plane of and concentric with disc lild.

The five discs I!) of totaliser T take part in the registration of allamounts to be added by said totaliser. The thousands disc lilo isactuated cnly by transfers from its right hand neighbouring disc it, asis the case in each of the totalisers in the mechanism considered. Thediscs Ifld and it which are directly actuated by the projection GDarerespectively intended to enter a conventional sign identifying thekind: of goods sold, and another sign identifying the personal totaliserthat took part in the operation. It will be noticed that in'the courseof the selecting operations the projection 60-will actuate the disc H]!(which is the seventh from the right in Fig. 9) while the levers 28 havetheir projections 30'engagedin. the seventh disc from the right in eachtotaliser (Fig. 4) and their heels 29 in register with th bosses 33 ofthe selectors l I.

In Fig. la, on the-left side of thetota-liser T are three discs IEjournaled on a. sleeve 62 encircling the shaft 12 and supported at oneend in the adjacent spacing member ll. These discs l0, form together ageneral counter S which may be actuated by transfer means controlledfrom the totaliser T in much the same manner as are the clerks operationcounters disclosed in Patent 2,282,120 heretofore mentioned. They countthe total number of operations performed by the mechanism and theordinal of each operation is printed on a ticket together with itsamount by asuitable printing mechanism which does not form part of thepresent invention.

The operation of the mechanism now will be described with reference to anumerical example. Let us suppose that a salesman A at the counter C ofa store has sold goods for $208.50. The bar I! havingfbeen returned atthe end of the preceding operation to its extreme left position (Figs. 1and 2), the salesman now allows it to escape step by step towards theright under the action of'spring 25, each escapement step being equal tothe thickness of a disc 10. The control mechanism of the axial andangular movements of bar I'." and shaft I2 forms no part of the presentinvention and it may be of any suitable type, operated by keys or-by ahandle, for example of the type described in Patent 2,282,120.

After the first step. to th right (Fig. 4), the projections 36 of theseveral levers 28 associated with the clerks totalizers A and B and thegoods totalizers C and D are in register with the discs Ilia which havethe longer inner teeth, while the heels 29 of the respective levers 28are in register with the bosses'33 and 520i the selectors l IA and 48,respectively. The mechanism thus is ready for selecting the individualselectors. By means of the handle -9 of goods totaliser C, the salesmanturns the ring 48 (Fig. 8) through one twentieth of a revolution toposition a boss 52 over'the h'eel '29 of the associated lever 28. (Itshould be pointed out that thisrotation could have taken place beforeinstead of after the first axial escapement of bar H, in which case theescapernent step would have brought the heel 29 under the boss 52).In'either event, the lever 28 of the selected goods totalizer rocks,compressing its spring 3! and its driving projection 30 juts out of theslot 26 in the bar I! to suificient extent to engage between the innerteeth of disc Illa. Goods totaliserC thus is selected and simultaneouslythe rod 55 moves transfer member 54 to position to be operated by an arm44 (Fig. 6) of the carrying shaft 45 so that counter C may register oneunit at the end of the operation. Immediately thereafter the salemanselects his individual totalizer by rotating shaft [2 with its bar I lclockwise a number of steps depending upon the angular distance betweenthe lever 28 appropriate to his totalizer andthe position of the boss'33in the perimeter of the selector ring Ila of his individual totalizer.In the present example, there are but two clerks totalizers, and

hence the salesman turns the shaft l2 through one tenth ofa revolution,from th position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 5. The heel 29 ofthe lever 28 in the personal totaliser A stops exactly under a, boss 33and causes theprojection 30 to rise as shown in Fig. 4. At this time theheel 29 of the lever 28in the goods totaliser C is again under a boss 52so that totaliser C is not afiected'and remains selected. During therotation through one tenth of a revolution the projection 30 intotaliser A has moved with it the disc ifla-owingrto the long teeth ofsaid disc, together with the ring 21a (Fig. 6) to cause its cam 38pushing on the finger 39 of member 40-43, to rock the carrying member toposition to be operated by its appropriate arm 44 on tho transfer shaft45, so that the counter A will mark one unit at-the end of the entry ofan item.

The first escapement stepof bar I! has also resulted in bringing thdriving projection 60 for the multiple item totaliser T (Fig. 9) intoengagement with the inner teeth on disc 10! which thus'is caused to takepart in the subsequent rotation through one tenth of a revolution. Thisdisc effects the setting of'a sign to designate the selected personal orindividual totalizer for subsequent impression on the ticket, in thepresent instance, the letter A carried byv the first outer tooth on discHif, which letter identifies the perconaltotaliser that has beenselected. Likewise, in indicator I, the driving projection 60 hasengaged. the first disc in which also takes part in the subsequentrotation through one tenth of a revolution and causes the letterA to bedisplayed, thus indicating that the personal totaliser A has beenselected.

In the general totaliser G nothing has happened thusfar in the"operation because there are no inner teeth in the seventh disc (from theright) into which the driving projection 6i) can engage.

The-second step to the right of the bar H controlled by the operator, asin the manner shown in U. S. Patent 2,282,120, brings all theraisedprojections 3twithin discs ll) of h'ighestsignificant value'of thselective totalizcrsA, B, C and D (i. e. in each totaliser the sixthdisc from theright) but these discs, which have no inner'teeth, will notbe driven when the shaft [2 is rotated. In multiple item totaliser T andindicator-'1, the projections 60 have'come into engagement with theinher teeth on disc IOd'and on the second or right hand disc i0respectively. When the shaft 12 is rotated through a predeterminedangle, the toothed discs ltd and III" are each rotated to expose aconventional sign, for example X, designating the kind of goods sold, onthe outer teeth of said discs. Means (not herein shown) such as isdisclosed in Figs. 19 and 20 of my Patent 2,282,120 maybe employed toregister the number of items accumulated in the multiple item totalizerT, on the counter S.

It is also to be observed that during the second step of bar 11, the pinor finger 35' on each of the levers 28has contacted with the'locking bar34. The'fingers 35 in the selected totalisers A and C are above the bar34, while in totalisers B and D which have not, been selected thefingers 35 are below the bar 34, all the levers 28 thus being locked intheir respective positions until the end of the operation beingeffected.

The third'step of bar I! brings the operative projections 33 and 60 intothe fifth disc (from the right) of each totaliser, which is the hundredsdisc. Asthisis the denomination corresponding with the digit of highestsignificant value in the amount of the sale 208.50 which is to beentered in the machine, the operator then rotates the shaft l2 with barl1 through two tenths of a revolution, and in all the operativetotalisers, namely G, A, C and T, as also in the indicator I, thehundreds disc is rotated through two tenths of a revolution to register2 thereon.

The fourth step brings the projections 30 and 60 into the tens discs,but as the number to be entered has no tens, the operator does notrotate the shaft l2, and he immediately moves bar H a fifth step to theright and then rotates the shaft l'2 through eight tenths of arevolution in order to register 8 in the units of dollars denominationaldiscs.

The operation thus is continued until the entire number is entered. Atthe end of the operation the operator rotates, by means of a crank orotherwise, the shaft 45 with the arms 44 which render effective all thetransfers set for operation either in the counters as described above,or/and in the totalisers themselves, in a wellknown manner such asdescribed "for example in my aforesaid Patent 2,282,120. The operatorthen moves the bar I! with its levers 28, back to its starting orextreme left position, whereby the latching pins 35 of the levers 23associated with the selected totalizers A and C ride off the upper faceof the stationary latching bar 34 into the recesses provided, whereuponthe springs 31 are free to restore the levers 28 counter-clockwise totheir normal positions, to withdraw their projections 30 to ineffectiveposition and project their heels 29 into position to co-act with thecorresponding selecting rings HA and 48 prior to the entry of the nextitem. The mechanism thus is ready for a new selecting and registeringoperation.

The discs of the indicator I and the designating sign disc [a. arezeroized after each operation in any convenient manner, for example asdescribed in my said Patent 2,282,120. The discs of totaliser T may alsobe zeroized, or they may add a plurality of amounts (as those of acustomers successive purchases) and then be zeroized after the totalamount has been printed. The zeroizing mechanism may be of any knowntype, as that described in my said Patent 2,282,120.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the arrangementand in the shape of the constructional details above described withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention as defined by the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising aplurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selectorarranged adjacent said totaliser, an axially shiftable and rotatableoperating member, extending axially through all said discs and throughsaid selector, a disc driving lever pivotally mounted in a recess insaid member, said lever having a projection at each end, one of saidprojections being movable into position to operatively engage said discssingly in succession during axial shifting of said operating member andthe other of said projections being adapted to cooperate with saidselector, and a spring cooperating with said pivoting lever and arrangednormally to push outwardly the second mentione'd projection to co-actwith said annular selector.

2. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising aplurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selectorarranged adjacent said totaliser, a rotatable and axially shiftableoperating member extending through all said discs and through saidselector, certain of said discs having teeth on their inner peripheries,one of said toothed discs having teeth longer than those of the otherdiscs, a lever pivotally mounted in a recess in said operating member,said lever having a projection at one end, a spring to rock said leverto withdraw said projection into said recess, said selector effectiveupon rotation of the operating member to rock the opposite end of saidlever against the action of said spring to protrude said projection fromthe recess, said projection of such length as to cooperate, when inwithdrawn position, with said longer teeth only, and when protruded, tocooperate with the shorter teeth of the other toothed discs singly insuccession during axial shifting of said operating member.

3. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising aplurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selectorarranged adjacent said totaliser, a rotatable and axially shiftableoperating member extending through said discs and said selector, a discdriving lever pivotally mounted in a recess in said operating member,said lever having a projection at each end, one of said projectionsbeing movable into position to operatively engage said discs singly insuccession during axial shifting of said operating member and the otherof said projections to cooperate with said selector, a springcooperating with said lever to tilt the lever from one position toanother, a locking blade, said locking blade being rotatably but notaxially movable with said operating member, and a pin on said lever,said pin being adapted to cooperate with said locking blade for lockingsaid lever in one of its positions, a notch being provided in saidoperating member to alTo-rd clearance for said pin, said locking bladebeing recessed at a predetermined point in the travel of the operatingmember relatively thereto to enable the lever to rock when the operatingmember is in such predetermined axial position.

4. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising aplurality of annular discs arranged side by side, a fixed annularselector'arranged adjacent said totaliser, a rotatable and axiallyshiftable operating member extending axially through said discs andthrough said selector, a pivotally mounted disc driving lever on saidoperating member, said lever having a driving projection at one end anda heel at the other end, said selector having on its inner periphery acam surface to depress the said heel of the said lever to rock the leverand protrude the driving projection into position to operatively engagethe discs singly in succession during axial shifting of said operatingmember.

5. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising aplurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selectorarranged adjacent said totaliser, a rotatable and axially shiftableoperating member extending axially through said discs and through saidselector, a pivotally mounted disc driving lever on said operatingmember, said lever having a driving projection at one end and a heel atthe other end, said selector comprising an angularly adjustable ringsurrounding said operating member, a plurality of cam surfaces on theinner periphery 11 of said ring, said adjustable ring being rotatable toselect one of saidcam surfaces to depress the said heel of the saidlever to rock the lever and protrude the driving projection intoposition to operatively engage the discs singly in succession duringaxial shifting of said operating member.

6. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a-totaliser having aplurality of annular discs, an operating member extending through saiddiscs, an operation counter adjacent-said totaliser, a pivotally mounteddriving member on said operating member for engaging and operating theseveral totaliser discs, a selector including an angularly adjustablemember, a cam surface on said adjustable member for moving said drivingmember into disc engagingand operating posi tion, normally ineffectiveoperating means for said operation counter, and an actuator on saidadjustable member for rendering the counter operating means operativeduring adjustment of i.

said adjustable member.

'7. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser having aplurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selectorarranged adjacent said -totaliser, an operating member movable bothaxially and angularly, said operating member extending axially throughall said discs andthrough said-selector, adisc driving lever pivotallymounted in a recess in said operating member, said lever having aprojection at each end, one of said projections being movable intoposition to operatively engage said discs singly in succession duringaxial movement of said operating member and the other-of saidprojections being adapted to co-operate with said selector, aspringco-operating with said pivoting lever and arranged normally to pushoutwardly the second mentioned projection, means in said selector fordepressing thesecond mentioned projection against the action of saidspring, and means for locking said pivoting lever with said secondmentioned projection either depressed or pushed outwardly.

v8. In a .cash register, a plurality of individual totalizers eachincluding a plurality of annular discs, a multiple item totalizer havingannular discs corresponding with the-annular discs of the individualtotalizers, a rotatable andaxially movable operating member arrangedwithin the several discs, a disc-engaging and driving member for eachindividual totalizer carried by and movable with the operating member,selecting means for each driving member ,operable according to theextent of angular movement in a predetermined axial position of theoperating member to selectively condition the drive members forengagement with their related ,totalizer discs, a projection on saidoperating member fOI engaging and driving the discs of the multiple itemtotalizer simultaneously with the engagement of the selected drivemember with its corresponding discs of the individual .totalizer, anindicating disc engageableand operable by said projection when saidoperating member is displaced fromsaid axialposition and prior.toengagement of the drive member with the individual totalizer discs,said selection indicating disc having an external offset portion spacedfrom the item totalizer discs, and a tens-transfer operated multipleitem totalizer discin said space. i

9. In a cash register, a plurality of individual totalizers eachincluding a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movableoperating member arranged within the discs, a disc-engaging and drivingmember for each totalizer carried by and movable with the operatingmember, selecting means for each driving member effective according tothe angular position of the operating member to selectively controlengagement of the driving members with their related totalizer discs, anadditional totalizer including a plurality of annular discs surroundingsaid operating member, a normally ineffective member carried by saidoperating member for driving the discs of the additional totalizer, andadjustable means for rendering-the ineffective driving member effectivein the angular totalizer selecting positions of the operating member.

10. ;In a cash register, a plurality of individual totaliaers eachincluding a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movableoperating member arranged within the discs, a disc-engaging and "drivingmember for each totalizer carried by and movable with the operatingmember, se lecting means for each driving member efiective according tothe angular position of the operating member to selectively controlengagement of the driving members with their related totalizer discs, anadditional totalizer including a plurality of annular discs surroundingsaid operating member, a, normally ineffective member carried by saidoperating member for driving the discs of the additional totalizer, anda cam member rotatable to a position to render the ineffective drivingmember effective in the angular totalizer se lecting positions of theoperating member.

11. In a, computing mechanism, the combination of a totalizer having aplurality of annular discs, each having teeth formed in its innerperiphery, a, ring rigid with each of said discs, there being an annulargroove formed in the periphery of each disc adjacent its ring, anoperating member extending through said discs and said rings, a leverpivotally mounted on said operating mernber, said lever having at oneend a. projection, a spring to rock outwardly the opposite end of saidlever to withdraw said projection relatively to said teeth, means torock said lever against the action of said spring to protrude saidprojection, said projection being of such length as to engage said teethwhen protruded, and means to rota ably support said discs concentricallywith said operating member. to provide a clearance between the innerperiphery of said discs and said operating means, said supporting meanscomprising three spindles extending parallel to said operating memberand arranged around said discs, and a set of carrying rollers rotatablymounted on each of said spindles, the rollers in each set being equal innumber to said discs and engaging said annulargrooves.

12. In a computing machine, the combination of two axially aline'd'groups of rotatable, annular discs, each having internal teeth, one ofwhich groups contains designating discs, the hub portions of the discsof on of said groups projecting laterally and being successively nestedto position the internal teeth of the disc at one end of said group inthe plane of the next adjacent disc, an additional annular edentate discjour--- naled on the laterally projecting hub portion of the last nameddisc, and associated with the discs of the other of said groups ofdiscs, an axially shiftable, and rotatable operating member extendingthrough all-the annular discs, and a driving member on said operatingmember movable into operative driving engagement with the teeth of thetoothed discs singly in succession during axial shifting of saidoperating member,

13. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a pair of totalizers,each including two groups of annular, rotatable discs, said discs ofboth totalisers indicating identical entries, a group of discs in one ofthe totalisers having laterally projecting, shouldered hubs nested onewithin the other so that a shoulder of one hub lies in the plane of thenext adjacent disc, said last named shoulder being internally toothed,an additional untoothed disc journaled on the shouldered hub of thatdisc of one group which adjoins the discs of the second group of thattotalizer, to register excess units of amounts accumulated on suchsecond group, the remaining discs of such second group in saidfirst-named totalizer and the discs of both groups of the re mainingtotalizer being internally toothed, a ro tatable and axially shiitableoperating member extending through all the discs of both totalizers, anddriving members carried by the operating member for simultaneousengagement with the internal teeth of corresponding discs in therespective totalizers, as the operating member advances by equal stepsrelatively to both totalizers.

14. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totalizer includingannular internally toothed discs, the teeth of at least one of saiddiscs being longer than those of the remaining internally toothed discs,a rotatable and axially shiftable operating member extending throughsaid discs, a shiftable drive member carried by said operating memberand effective in one of its positions to operate the disc having thelonger teeth only, and selecting means with which said drive membercoacts on rotation of the operating member when in a predeterminedposition, to shift the drive member to position for operative drivingengagement with the discs having the shorter teeth.

15. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totalizer including aplurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially shiftable operatingmember extending through said discs, a drive member for the discs,shiftably mounted on theoperating member, means to yiel'dingly retainsaid driving member in normal position, and a selecting device manuallyoperable to transmit movement to the drive member in one axial positionof the operating member, and upon rotation of said operating member insuch position, to positively shift the drive member into position foroperative driving engagement with said discs singly in succession duringaxial shifting of said operating member.

16. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totalizer, includinga plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially shiftableoperating member extending through said discs, a driving membershiftably mounted on the operating member, a selector operable upon thedriving member in one axial position of the operating member, uponrotation of said operating memher, to shift the drive member to positionto operatively engage the discs, and means to positively retain thedrive member in position to engage successive discs during subsequentaxial movements of the operating member, said last-named meansengageable with the drive member as a result of the first axial movementof the operating member which disengages the drive member from theselector, and releasing the drive member for return to normal positionupon the return of the operating member to its normal axial position.

17. In a cash register, a plurality of individual totalizers, eachincluding a plurality of annular discs, a multiple item totalizer havingannular discs corresponding with the annular discs of the individualtotalizers, a rotatable and axially movable operating member arrangedwithin the several discs, a disc-engaging and driving member for eachindividual totalizer carried by and movable with the operating member,selecting means for each driving member effective according to theextent of angular movement of the operating member in a predeterminedposition thereof, to selectively condition the drive members forengagement with their related individual totalizer discs, a projectionon said operating member for engaging and driving the discs of themultiple item totalizer simultaneously with the engagement of theselected drive member with the corresponding disc of its individualtotalizer, a selection-indicating disc engageable and operable by saidprojection when said operating member is displaced one increment ofmovement axially and then rotated to select the desired drive member,said selection-indicating disc having a laterally projecting, shoulderedhub to provide space for said drive projection when in its inactive homeposition in the plane of the selection-indieating disc, and teeth onsaid laterally projecting hub in advance of the normal position of thedriving projection, and engageable by the driving projectionsimultaneously with the engagement of the drive member for the selectedindividual totalizer with its selection-indicating disc.

18. In a computing machine, the combination of two groups of rotatable,annular, internally toothed discs arranged side by side, the discs ofone group having exterior off set portions to form a space between thetwo groups of discs, an additional disc mounted in said space forrotation about the same axis as the discs of said groups, an angularlymovable operating member extending through all said discs of the groups,a driving projection on said operating member, said driving projectionbeing engageable with any of the internal teeth of said discs, saidoperating member being movable axially to engage said driving projectionwith the internal teeth of successive discs.

19. In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer including aplurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operatingmember extending through said discs, 3, pivoted and normally ineifectivedisc-driving member carried by and movable with said operating member,and means operable upon rotation of the operating member to rock saiddriving member about its pivot into position to operatively engage saiddiscs singly in succession during axial movement of said operatingmember.

2!). In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer including aplurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operatingmember extending through said discs, a normally inefiective disc-drivingmember carried by and movable with said operating member, meanseffective during rotary movement of the operating member to move thedriving member into position to operatively engage the discs insuccession during subsequent axial movements of the operating member,and-means operable prior to engagement of the driving member with thediscs to lock the driving member in engaging position.

21. In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer, including aplurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operatingmember extending through said discs, a normally ineffective disc-drivingmember carried by and 1.5 movable. with said operating member, meansoperable during initial rotary movement of the operating member in oneaxial position thereof, to move the driving member into position tooperatively engage and drive the discs in succession during subsequentsuccessive axial movements of the operating member, an operation counteradjacent aid totalizer, normally ineffective operating means for saidoperation counter, and means operable by the driving memberparticipating in said initial rotary movement of the operating member tocondition said counter-operating means for operation.

22. In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer, including aplurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operatingmember extending through said discs, a normally ineffective disc-drivingmember carried by and movable with said operating member, meanseffective during initial rotary movement of the operating member in oneaxial position thereof, to move the driving member into position to0-p-- era-tively engage and drive the discs in succession duringsubsequent axial movements of the operating member, an operation counteradjacent said totalizer, normally ineffective operating means for saidoperation counter, and a member rotatable co-axially of said totalizerdiscs and operable by the driving member participating in said initialrotary movement of the operating member to condition saidcounter-operating means for operation.

23. In a cash register, a plurality of individual totalizers, eachincluding a plurality of annular discs, a multiple item totalizer having.annular discs corresponding With the annular discs of the individualtotalizers, a rotatable and axially movble operating member arrangedWithin the several discs, a disc-engaging and driving member for eachindividual totalizer carried b and movable with the operating member,selecting means for each driving member eifective according to theextentof angular movement of the operating member in a predetermined positionthereof, to selectively condition the drive members for engagement withtheir related individual totalizer discs, a projection on said operatingmember for engaging and driving the discs of the multiple item totalizersimultaneously With the engagement of the selected drive member with thecorresponding disc of its individual totalizer, a se1ection indicatingdisc engageable With and operable by said projection when said operatingmember is in another axial position, said indicating disc having anexternal off set portion spaced from the item totalizer discs, and atens-carry operated multiple item totalizer disc in said space.

24. In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer including aplurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially shiftable operatingmember extending through said discs, a. normally ineffective shiftabledrive member for said discs extending longitudinally of said operatingmemher and engageable at one point in its length with said discs, and aselecting device operable in one axial position of said operating memberto engage another point in the length of and to shift said drive memberinto effective position wherein the first mentioned point is engageablewith said discs singly in succession during axial shifting of saidoperating member.

MARCEL DEMEULENAERE.

REFERENCES CITED "he following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 865,200 Moore et a1 Sept. 3, 19071,012,607 Degener Dec. 26, 1911 1,099,725 Smith June 9, 1914 935,593Esco Sept. 28, 1909 1,475,152 Wright Nov. 20, 1923 728,179 Search et alMay 12, 1903 2,042,249 Constantine May 26, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 798,042 France Ma 8, 1936

